AWOL
by Johanna-banna
Summary: AU- The real reason Neal escaped prison wasn't for Kate, but to save, stop his baby sister from becoming a ghost. Neal struggles to convince Peter he isn't going to run for Kate without letting him know he'd run in a heartbeat to save Hannah.


A/N: This is my first fanfiction ever so please go easy on me. I would love any kind of constructive criticism you might have but please keep flames to yourself. I hope you like it.

Just as a forewarning this story won't be updated more than once or twice a week if I am lucky. I am in college and as you may know it gets a little crazy with assignments and such. Overall school work has to come before this. Sorry guys.

Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own white collar, if I did Neal would be shirtless 9/10ths the show. hehe XD

AWOL- Chapter 1

The extraordinary warmth of sun rays on his cheek was what first pulled him from a pleasant dream, birds singing was what finally caused him to open his eyes. Neal jumped slightly when his eyes took in the unfamiliar room, sighing in contented worry as he began to remember where he was and why.

1 week earlier…

In a desperate and frantic decision Neal had decided to escape prison, in little under a month he had managed to escape the supermax, a feat which if under different circumstances he would have been proud of, with only one mission: find his baby sister Hannah. When Kate had last visited him in prison she informed him of Hannah's one woman disappearing act. Kate had told him she had been searching for her for over two weeks without luck, she didn't know where else to go, since Hannah had become a ghost. Frantic and not wanting to lose his sister forever he escaped.

However when he arrived at the apartment he rented for his sister he found nothing but an old wine bottle and a note. Quickly Neal read the note trying to determine if there were any clues to Hannah's whereabouts tucked in the words somewhere, but from in the words all he found was heart break. He slid down the wall, shaking hand covering his open mouth, his legs no longer able to hold him as he tried not to succumb to his emotions and cry. After some span of time, which Neal had lost track of, he heard sirens and hurried footsteps coming up the stairs the apartment. Hastily Neal shoved the letter in his pocket and picked up the dusty wine bottle. Holding back tears and trying to compose himself he heard an Agent enter the room with him. Before the agent even spoke Neal knew it was Burke since no one else would have come for him without back up.

When the agent spoke Neal's assumption was proved correct, "You armed?" he asked.  
>"You know I don't like guns." Neal sighed still clutching the bottle, he hadn't meant to stay long enough for anyone to be able to find him but he has mistakenly allowed himself to get caught up in emotion.<p>

Agent Burke stared at him for a moment before speaking into his radio, "I've located Caffrey, and he's unarmed", "How many are there?" Neal asked "Including my agents and the marshals, all of them I think." Burke answered Neal just nodded his head in consent. An awkward silence consumed them for a moment before the agent spoke again, "three months to escape the supermax damn impressive."

Neal just smirked, "They're going to give you another four years for this you know" Burke continued. "I don't care" Neal said quickly, standing up from his position on the floor. Agent Burke gazed at him in confusion for a moment trying to decide what to say.

A silence began to consume them once more until Neal spotted a tiny fiber of some-sort on Peter's suit jacket, slowly in a non-threatening manner Neal plucked it off him holding it up to inspect. "Do you know what this is?" he asked.

The agent sighed, "Not a clue, it's from the case I was working on before they pulled me to come find you…" he trailed off. Suddenly Neal heard armed footsteps making their way up the stairs to the apartment and almost simultaneously he formed a plan.

"What is it worth if I could tell you what this is?" Burke tilted his head at him in confusion, "Is it worth a meeting? I tell you right now and if I am right, you meet me in prison in one week." Neal spoke quickly he didn't have much time; the agent hesitated for a moment before slowly nodding his head in consent. "It's a security fiber for the new Canadian 100 dollar bill." He handed Burke the fiber and put his hands up peacefully allowing the other agents to handcuff him. As they began to lead him from the room he looked back at the agent and reminded him, "one week."

Neal remained silent the entire ride back to the prison and during the intake procedure complying on autopilot, his whole body felt numb. As his sister's words played over and over in his brain he hoped Agent Burke was a man of his word.

As the guards roughly shoved him into his room in solitary confinement he allowed himself to analyze the letter one more time, tears slowing running down his cheeks as he did so.

Neal-

_**I**_f you are reading this it means that you've _**done something stupid**_ and pointless. I am miles away now and not looking back_**. I need**_ to reinvent myself, see new places and faces. I've become _**someone**_ that _**can't endure**_ the day; it's too filled with disappointment and heartache. Three and a half years of barely surviving _**without you**_ showed me how dependent I've let myself become. You even said once the _**only person in life **_we _**can truly depend on is**_ ourselves, so this is me trying to figure out how to be independent without _**you**_. I won't be coming back. I am moving on and _**I hope you find**_ a way to like _**me **_and _**soon**_.

You're Starlight,  
>Hannah<p>

As he continued to stare at the crumpled and tear stained paper Neal saw the pattern, some words were different than Hannah's normal writing. The pen was pushed into the paper much too hard and the handwriting became slanted compared to Hannah's usual light perfectly printed script. Grasping at straws he fumbled for his last pencil and piece of paper for the week and translated the letter into something much more heartbreaking and frightening than before. Uncontrollable tears poured from Neal's eyes and he prayed to a God he didn't know existed that Agent Burke would come through on his end of the deal.

_**I done something stupid. I need someone. can't endure without you. only person in life can truly depend on is you. I hope you find me soon.**_

A/N: Please review so I know how I am doing! Thank you I appreciate it greatly! ;-P

Johanna


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